A 56-year-old pastor, Jones Nwaeze, of the Minister of Gospel of God Church, Ojodu, Lagos, has been accused of chasing out the worshipers of the church and threatening to set the house of worship ablaze.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that trouble started on February 12, 2017 at the church located on Tina Street, Ojodu, when he allegedly invaded the church and assaulted worshippers with a stick over claims of ownership of the church.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Nwaeze was dragged before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court, Lagos on charges of breach of the peace and assault on Friday.
The prosecutor, Clement Okuoimose, Nwaeze allegedly gained access into the church auditorium while a service was ongoing.
He told the court that as a security man attempted to prevent him from gaining access into the church, Nwaeze hit him with a stick in the head and dragged him on the ground.
The accused allegedly claimed ownership of the church saying he had invested heavily in it by bringing converts and wanted a share of the proceeds of the church.
“One of the worshippers alerted the police who rushed to the scene,” the prosecutor said.
The prosecutor said the offences contravened sections 166 and 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, but the accused pleaded not guilty to the offences.
He was granted bail in the sum of N20,000.
PUNCH
